Gas diffuser nozzle



.nm 20, 1970 H. M. KERN. JR 3,490,700

GAS DIFFUSER NOZZLE Filed April 5, 1968 Hg. 6? 52 v 54 United StatesPatent Ofice 3,490,700 Patented Jan. 20, 1970 3,490,700 GAS DIFFUSERNOZZLE Hobart M. Kern, Jr., Warren Pa., assignor to Struthers WellsCorporation, a corporation of Maryland Filed Apr. 5,-1968, Ser. No.719,128 Claims priority, application Great Britain, May 2, 1967, 20,178/67 Int. Cl. Bb 1/26 US. Cl. 239499 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSUREAn adjustable nozzle to diffuse gas passing through a plate has atubular shank fixed in the plate with a castellated and threadedtop overwhich there is screwed a pointed cap containing a pair of transverseapertures, the castellations serving as lateral gas exit orifices and aslocking means to receive a locking pin passing through the transverseapertures in the cap.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Adjustable nozzlesto diffuse gas passing through a fluid bed dryer partition plate eachhave a tubular shank adapted to be fixed in the plate, the tubular shankhaving a castellated and threaded upper end over which there is screweda pointed cap containing a pair of transverse apertures, thecastellations serving as lateral gas exit orifices and as locking meansto receive a locking pin passing through the transverse apertures in thecap. Rotation of the cap on withdrawal of the locking pin, screws thecap upward or downward on the castellations to vary the size of theslits of the castellations appearing below the cap. This provides aplurality of adjustable orifices to vary the flow of gas therethrough.This nozzle is inexpensive to manufacture, it is easily adjustable, andit directs gas over a partition plate as required.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURE 1 is a vertical section througha fragment of a fluid bed dryer partition plate showing a side view ofan adjustable diffuser nozzle fixed therein;

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal, vertical section through the tubular shankof the diffuser nozzle;

FIGURE 3 is a top view of the tubular shank of the diffuser nozzle;

FIGURE 4 is a longitudinal, vertical section through the pointed cap ofthe diffuser nozzle;

FIGURE 5 is a bottom view of the cap; and

FIGURE 6 is a side view of a locking pin.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Partition plate 10 of a fluidbed dryer has a regular pattern of gas diffuser nozzles 12 each fixed inapertures 14 by means of nuts 16 turned on the lower ends 18 of itstubular shank 20. Shank 20 contains a central passage 22 and has anupper shoulder 24 which rests on the top surface of partition plate 10.Shoulder 24 has two flats 25 formed thereon to accommodate a wrench whennozzle 10 is being installed or adjusted. The upper portion 26 of shank20 above shoulder 24 has threads 28 formed thereon and an even number ofcastellations 30 cut therein, the castellations 30 having an even numberof radial slots 32 and upstanding longitudinal projections 34.

Over the upper portion 26 there is screwed downward the cap 40 which hasa pointed top 42 with a downward slope of its sides greater than 30degrees. This prevents any powder or particle buildup on a top 42 infront of the escaping gas passing through nozzle 12. A buildup of powderor other particles to be dried in an upward flow of hot gas can resultin the particles fusing together and aggregating to require the shutdownand cleaning of the nozzles.

The inside of cap 40 contains threads 44 which receive the threads 28 ofcastellations 30. The edge of top 42 projects well beyond a cylindricalskirt 46 except where two flats 56 are formed in it to enable a wrenchto turn cap 40. Cylindrical skirt 46 contains an oppositely disposedpair of apertures 48 to receive a locking pin 50. Pin 50 has a head 52and a shank 54. The projecting end of shank 54 may be bent over to holdpin 50 in place. Shank 54 passes through apertures 48 and a pair ofslots 32 of castellations 30 to lock the cap 40 from rotation.

From the foregoing, it may be seen that the cap 40 may be screwed upwardor downward to adjust the effective size of the slots 32 appearing belowskirt 46 which serve as circumferentially located orifices for gas flowfrom each nozzle 12. The castellations 30 also serve as a locking meansto receive the locking pin 50. Nozzle 12 and locking pin 50 arepreferably fabricated from stainless steel to resist corrosion.

While this invention has been shown and described in the best formknown, it will nevertheless be understood that this is purely exemplaryand that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An adjustable nozzle to pass gas through a partition plate of a fluidbed dryer comprising, in combination,

(a) a tubular shank having a lower portion adapted to pass through andbe fixed to a partition plate,

(b) an annular shoulder at the upper end of said shank to rest on saidpartition plate,

(c) a castellated upper end of said tubular shank projecting above saidshoulder, said castellated upper end containing radial slots and havingupstanding projections therebetween, said castellated upper end havingexternal threads formed thereon,

(d) a pointed cap having sides sloping downward at an angle greater than30 degrees, said cap having a cylindrical skirt extending downward belowsaid cap, said cap and said skirt containing an internal threadedopening adapted to be screwed about said castellated upper end of saidshank, said cylindrical skirt containing transverse oppositely disposedlocking apertures, and

(e) a locking pin extending through said locking aper- 3 4 tures andthrough oppositely disposed radial slots in References Cited thecastellated upper end of said shank, the screwing UNITED STATES PATENTSof said cap upward and downward on said castellated upper d f id hankenlarging and restricting the 968605 8/1910 Ruud. 239 567 exposed lengthof said radial slots bel w S d Skirt 0f 5 2 3 1 er Sald cap, the exposedlength of said radial S ts s 3,335,963 8/1967 was 239 568 ing as gasexit orifices. 2. The combination according to claim 1 wherein the lowerportion of said shank is threaded.

3. The combination according to claim 2 wherein the 10 U S Cl XR sidesof said pointed cap and the sides of said annular shoulder haveoppositely disposed flats formed therein. 239--567, 568, 601; 261124EVERETT W. KIRBY, Primary Examiner

